Suzanne Stryk

About a month ago, one of my favorite professors made me aware of an exhibit at the Taubman Museum in Roanoke. It was a collection of pieces by an artist named Suzanne Stryk. I had never heard of Ms. Stryk nor had I ever been to the Taubman, so I decided to do a little research. Ms. Stryk's pieces are comprised of maps, which immediately caught my attention as a geographer. They are drawn on with flora, fauna, and themes of the area which the map represented. Seeing the one piece up on the Taubman website piqued my interest and I vowed that I would visit the exhibit.

One round trip to Florida and a few lazy days later, I found myself in Roanoke, standing in front of a museum that, quite honestly, looked more like a UFO than a structure. Stepping tentatively through twin sets of glass doors, I approached the ticket desk. I signed in (surprised by free admission) proceeded up the second oddest set of stairs I've ever encountered, and meandered through the exhibit halls. I wound my way around a lovely statue with no name, past a Norman Rockwell, into a room of bejeweled purses (which were quite beautiful), and finally entered the room for Suzanne Stryk.

As I walked through, I could not help but have my eyes jump from piece to piece. Every frame was filled with the most gorgeous jewel tones and myriad textures. The term "feast for the eyes" does not even begin to do this room justice. In an effort to not be completely overwhelmed, I started on the wall with the smallest pieces, cuts of the standard USGS maps. Images of oysters, feathers, and insects were painted over or layered onto these maps, much like the way you would find entries in a field journal, if a little more abstract. I circled the room, moving to the full sized maps, rich with detailed sketches, natural elements, and vibrant color. I found animals hiding among text, under flaps cut from the maps, and peering out from under painted leaves that, at a second glance, were feathers. I walked around and around until I was saturated with all I could find and observe. It was amazing, what Ms. Stryk had done, exploring the places I called home, going deep into the heart of them and bring back her findings in such a purely beautiful and creative way.

The following pieces were my favorites in the exhibit:

 Coal Tattoo (Appalachia)

 Flyway

Unfortunately, the exhibit leaves the Taubman Museum tomorrow (Saturday, August 24). If you would like to see a sample of her work and hear her commentary on the exhibit, please watch the video listed below. It helped me get a better understanding of the project she undertook and the wonderful pieces formed from it.

Suzanne Stryk: Notes on the State of Virginia